Tucson reservist loses job when Navy calls

Tucson Citizen ^ | 3/15/03 | OSCAR ABEYTA and IRWIN M. GOLDBERG

[gtech]

A federal lawsuit alleges Pep Boys fired a store manager because of his military obligation.

Automotive supply chain Pep Boys fired a Tucson store manager because his military Reserve duties took him away from work, according to a federal lawsuit filed here.
It may not be an isolated case. Several other reservists fired from Pep Boys in Tucson and Pennsylvania have contacted a military advocacy group with similar complaints.
Pep Boys' Tucson attorney, Todd E. Hale, declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing company policy not to discuss ongoing legal cases.

Rest of the story: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/business/3_15_03reservist.html

[MississippiMan]

Not impossible, in fact it would work great for a national chain.

Yeah, it would work great for a national chain but I'm talking about someone who owns one small business. ;-)

MM

[MississippiMan]

If you knew what waRNmother.armyboots did for a living I think you would realize that she too has a 'very specialized niche'. You said yours was retail, her's is much more than mere retail.

That may very well be, moneypenny, and I'm sure not saying it's not, only that in my niche, training someone is a lengthy job not at all suited to temp workers. I've been doing it for twenty-three years and have about figured out the ins and outs of it.

MM

[Colt .45]

Despite your screen name (hint - we see things very differently about him) I as a veteran will give you a heads up. You could take them to court under the Soldiers and Sailors Act. It was signed at the end of WW2 because of this very same thing, employers shafting servicemen. Look into it and check with your Congress-critter. You do have a mode of redress if that should happen to you.

[Madcelt]

Yep! Not on the left cheek,not on the right cheek, but right in the middle!!!! Pep Boys Stink!

[discostu]

I must have great taste in companies, every time we boycott somebody I already don't shop there. Pep Boys is overpriced and their mechanics suck.

[philetus]

Any small biz faced with this can easily (in todays job market) find a temp to fill in while the reservist is away.

[philetus]

If companies are stupid enough to use this loophole, they deserve what they get.

[Kay Ludlow]

No more Pep Boys for me either.

This may end up as their death knell - their stock has gone from over $19/share last May to under $7 today, and they just reported something like a 4 cent/share loss in the last quarter.

A little push like some people boycotting over firing reservists could put them over the cliff.

[glock rocks]

Automotive supply chain Pep Boys fired a Tucson store manager because his military Reserve duties took him away from work, according to a federal lawsuit filed here.
It may not be an isolated case. Several other reservists fired from Pep Boys in Tucson and Pennsylvania have contacted a military advocacy group with similar complaints.

[Roberts]

Maybe the Dixie Chicks can help their advertising counteroffensive.

[octobersky]

I used to go to Pep Boys but now I will find another place to get my vehicle serviced or inspected.

[jedi150]

Bump and freep the creeps!

http://www.pepboys.com/about/contact/cust_relations.html

[Outraged At FLA]

I did a search on anywho.com for these people so perhaps people could send them some donations. They seem to be in rough shape right now. I haven't confirmed the address but here is the search page:

http://anywho.com/qry/wp_fap?lastname=Balodis+&firstname=&street=&city=&state=AZ&zip=&btnsubmit.x=18&btnsubmit.y=9

And here is the listing:

Balodis, E & K

4283 S Mayberry Place TUCSON, AZ 85730 520-296-5870

[MississippiMan]

Any small biz faced with this can easily (in todays job market) find a temp to fill in while the reservist is away.

Sorry, Phil, but you don't know what you're talking about. Many jobs ARE easy to fill with temps. Many are NOT. When you say any, you're simply wrong. Over and out.

MM

[philetus]

Well, that makes us even.

I think your simply wrong.Roger, wilco

[TSgt]

I just submitted this to Pep Boys customer relations.

Please be assured that I will never do business again with Pep Boys due to their lack of support for military reservists. I am a military reservist myself and my position is shared with many other reservists in my area. I will be following the developments closely regarding the reservists in Tucson and recommend that you restore their employment immediately before losing anymore customers.

MississippiMan,
I think you need to look beyond your own personal business needs and think about the people who protect your ability to operate a business in a free market economy. The fact that you would take such a position when you aren't even faced with the situation speaks volumes about your selfishness.

[clamper1797]

Many jobs ARE easy to fill with temps. Many are NOT. When you say any, you're simply wrong

So what !!! ... we ALL have to sacrifice for our country. If you don't like it or are unwilling I suggest you move to France

[MississippiMan]

The fact that you would take such a position when you aren't even faced with the situation speaks volumes about your selfishness.

And you, my friend, may think whatever you like about me and my motivations. Given the fact that you know nothing about me or my situation, you only reveal your own ignorance. I simply brought up a point of reality, that with small mom-and-pop businesses, holding a job is not always feasible. It's not. It's not an issue of sacrifice or selfishness or anything of the kind. It's an issue of some things being workable and some not. Reality. I'm as patriotic as you or anyone else on this board and my discussion of this issue doesn't lessen that one bit. I love how you and a couple of others, who haven't the foggiest notion of what you're talking about and some of whom have probably never created a job in their life, sit back and make declarations about how easy it is to do something when you know zero about the details. Beating your chest and running your mouth doesn't make you a patriot. And stating the reality of running a business doesn't make someone not a patriot.

The only reason I brought this up was because of all the blanket statements thrown out in this thread about boycotting any business in this situation, which is utter foolishness.

MM

[MississippiMan]

So what !!! ... we ALL have to sacrifice for our country. If you don't like it or are unwilling I suggest you move to France.

I'm not moving anywhere, my friend--unless Hillary becomes president, in which case I might rethink the issue--and I'm every bit the patriot that you are. Running your mouth about something you know nothing about doesn't make you a patriot--it just reveals your own ignorance.

MM

[clamper1797]

and I'm every bit the patriot that you are

No Sir you are NOT ... your position is of some one normally found on DU